Brandon Aiyuk is reportedly planning to visit the San Francisco 49ers' practice facility on Friday after officially filing his reinstatement papers with the NFL. And perhaps inevitably, the Washington Commanders have come up as a potential landing spot.
Just don't count on it.
Aiyuk made his feelings clear about wanting to join the Commanders this offseason. He posted videos in team apparel, desperately trying to get attention from general manager Adam Peters.
Brandon Aiyuk may have burned his bridges with the Commanders
That didn't happen, and even though he is now formally seeking a route back into the league, Washington may not enter the running.
The Commanders could use another productive wide receiver after Terry McLaurin's season-ending torn patellar tendon. Aiyuk has a strong previous connection to quarterback Jayden Daniels, but whether that's still the case is anyone's guess.
Daniels and his mother drew some shade from Aiyuk on Instagram over the summer. This won't have been overlooked, with Peters hinting that these questionable actions were off-putting before any potential move.
ESPN insider Dan Graziano is among those who don't believe the Commanders will make a move for Aiyuk. A lot of water has been under the bridge, and not much of it is good. That led the reporter to think that a reunion between the pass-catcher and Daniels is unlikely.
"I do not expect them to be in the market for Brandon Aiyuk. Washington was the team many had connected with Aiyuk during last offseason's drama.
"He played with Commanders QB Jayden Daniels at Arizona State years ago, and he referenced his desire to play for the Commanders in several social media posts over the summer. But he said a lot of other things in those social media posts that turned teams off, and specifically some things about Daniels and his mother that make it unlikely a reunion ends up happening there."
Trading for Aiyuk is not an option, and never was. He hasn't played since mid-season in 2024. That's a lot of football missed, so it's not hard to see why teams would be reluctant to trade draft capital to get him into the building.
Commanders need another receiver, but the Brandon Aiyuk ship has sailed
Applying for reinstatement and showing up to the Niners' facility could expedite his release from the franchise. That would widen his options, but San Francisco won't be doing the player any favors.
At the same time, if he's healthy and wants to play, they either have to pay him or let him go.
The preference would definitely be the latter.
This is the route Aiyuk's new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, will want for his client, but general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have been stung by the player's actions. He hasn't painted himself in the best light, but getting help from one of the league's high-profile agents suggests he wants to get things back on track.
If Aiyuk has repented, that could make the Commanders reconsider their stance. They need receiver assistance, but the wideout's beef with Daniels was reportedly real.
That complicates matters. And if Daniels doesn't give this the green light, it's a non-starter.
Someone will take a chance on Aiyuk. He's no sure thing these days, but when healthy, he was a tremendous weapon in the passing game. And teams are always willing to overlook other areas if the on-field production matches.
Never say never, but Aiyuk getting his Washington wish does seem highly unlikely.
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